The best butter replacements depend on what you're baking
The substitute you choose matters because butter does three things in baking: it adds fat for moisture and richness, it creates air pockets when creamed with sugar, and it affects how a baked good spreads and browns. Not every replacement handles all three equally. Oil works well in cakes and brownies but won't cream with sugar the way butter does. Applesauce keeps muffins moist but can make cookies dense. Coconut oil browns like butter but has a distinct flavor. The right choice depends on whether you're making cookies, cakes, quick breads, or pastries.
Each substitute has a different ratio, behaves differently in the oven, and changes the final texture. Some work one-to-one, others require you to adjust the amount or the other liquids in the recipe. Understanding what each one does helps you pick the right one for what you're baking and avoid surprises when you open the oven.
Key Takeaways
- Oil, applesauce, and Greek yogurt work in most cakes and brownies, but each changes texture slightly — oil keeps things moist, applesauce adds density, yogurt adds tang.
- Coconut oil and vegan butter can replace butter one-to-one in cookies and pastries because they behave similarly, but coconut oil adds coconut flavor unless you use refined.
- Nut butters like almond and peanut butter work in brownies and chocolate cakes but will change the flavor and may require you to reduce other liquids.
- Mashed banana and avocado work in brownies and quick breads but add their own flavors and can make baked goods denser or greasier.
- For laminated doughs like croissants and puff pastry, vegan butter or shortening are your only real options because they need to stay solid and separate into layers.
Oil for cakes, brownies, and quick breads
Neutral oils like vegetable, canola, or light olive oil replace butter at a ratio of three-quarters cup oil for every cup of butter. Oil has no water content, so it makes baked goods moister and denser than butter does. This works well in brownies, chocolate cakes, and oil-based cake recipes, but it won't work in recipes that rely on creaming butter and sugar together — that step needs a solid fat that can trap air.
The trade-off is texture. Cakes made with oil stay tender longer but can feel greasier on your tongue than butter cakes. Cookies made with oil spread too much and won't hold their shape. If you're baking a recipe designed for butter and you use oil, the result will be noticeably different. Oil works best when you're starting with a recipe that already calls for oil, or when you're making something forgiving like brownies or banana bread.
Applesauce and Greek yogurt for lower-fat versions
Applesauce and Greek yogurt both replace butter one-to-one by volume and cut the fat significantly. Applesauce is mostly water and sugar, so it keeps baked goods moist but makes them denser and can make cookies cake-like. Greek yogurt adds tang and protein, which can improve texture in cakes and muffins. Both work best in recipes where moisture matters more than a tender crumb — quick breads, muffins, and brownies.
Neither will cream with sugar the way butter does, so don't use them in recipes that start by beating butter and sugar together. If you're adapting a butter recipe, reduce the other liquids slightly because applesauce and yogurt add moisture. A typical adjustment is to use three-quarters cup applesauce or yogurt for every cup of butter, then reduce milk or water by a quarter cup. The result will be noticeably different from the original, but it will still bake.
Coconut oil and vegan butter for one-to-one swaps
Coconut oil and vegan butter (usually made from coconut, palm, or soy oil) replace butter at a one-to-one ratio and behave most like butter in the oven. Both are solid at room temperature, so they can cream with sugar and create the air pockets that make cookies and cakes light. Coconut oil browns and crisps like butter, which is why it works well in pie crusts, shortbread, and pastries.
The catch is flavor. Unrefined coconut oil tastes strongly of coconut, which works in some recipes but not others. Refined coconut oil has the coconut flavor removed and is nearly neutral. Vegan butter is designed to taste like butter and works in almost any recipe, but quality varies by brand — some are greasier or have a waxy mouthfeel. Both cost more than oil or applesauce. For cookies, pie crusts, and laminated doughs, they're your best option if you can't use dairy butter.
Nut butters for brownies and chocolate cakes
Peanut butter, almond butter, and other nut butters replace butter at a one-to-one ratio in brownies, chocolate cakes, and other recipes where their flavor complements the other ingredients. They add fat, moisture, and protein, which can make baked goods fudgier and richer. A brownie made with peanut butter instead of butter will be denser and more intensely flavored, but still good.
Nut butters don't work in delicate cakes or vanilla-forward recipes where their flavor would dominate. They also contain less water than butter, so you may need to add a tablespoon or two of milk or water to the batter to keep it from being too thick. Start by replacing half the butter with nut butter, then adjust from there. This gives you control over how much the flavor changes.
Mashed banana and avocado for brownies and quick breads
Mashed banana and avocado both replace butter at a one-to-one ratio and work in brownies, chocolate cakes, and quick breads where their flavor won't clash. Banana adds sweetness and moisture, so you may need to reduce sugar slightly. Avocado is nearly flavorless and adds creaminess without extra sweetness. Both make baked goods denser and more cake-like than butter does.
Banana works best in recipes that already have banana flavor — banana bread, chocolate-banana cake, or brownies. Avocado is better for chocolate or spiced cakes where you want richness without changing the flavor profile. Neither will cream with sugar, so don't use them in recipes that start by beating fat and sugar together. Both add moisture, so reduce milk or water by a quarter cup if the batter seems too wet.
Shortening for pie crusts and pastries
Vegetable shortening is solid at room temperature and creates a flaky pie crust much like butter does. It replaces butter at a one-to-one ratio and has a higher melting point than butter, which can actually make pie crusts flakier. Shortening has no water content, so it won't brown or add flavor the way butter does. The crust will be pale and taste neutral — which is what you want if you're making a savory pie, but less ideal for sweet pies where butter's richness matters.
Shortening fell out of favor because of trans fats, but modern shortening is made without them. It's still less flavorful than butter and less healthy than oil. Use it when you specifically need a flaky crust and can't use butter or vegan butter. It's also cheaper than vegan butter and more shelf-stable than coconut oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use milk or cream instead of butter?
No. Milk and cream are mostly water, so they won't add the fat that butter provides. They'll make your batter thinner but won't help the baked good rise or brown. If a recipe calls for butter, you need a fat replacement, not a liquid one.
What if I use the wrong substitute and the batter looks wrong?
If the batter is too thick, add milk or water a tablespoon at a time. If it's too thin, add flour a tablespoon at a time. If it's too greasy, you've used too much oil or nut butter — reduce the amount next time. Batter that looks different from the original recipe may still bake into something good, but the texture will be noticeably different.
Does the substitute change how long something takes to bake?
Sometimes. Oil-based cakes may bake slightly faster because oil conducts heat differently than butter. Applesauce and yogurt add moisture, so they may take a few minutes longer. Check for doneness with a toothpick rather than relying on the original recipe's time — ovens vary, and substitutes change how quickly the center sets.
Can I mix two substitutes together?
Yes. Mixing oil and applesauce, or coconut oil and yogurt, can give you a middle ground between the textures each one produces alone. Start with half of each by volume and adjust based on how the batter looks. This works well when you want to reduce fat but keep some moisture.
What's the best substitute for cookies?
Vegan butter or coconut oil, because both are solid and can cream with sugar to trap air. If you don't have those, use oil but expect the cookies to spread more and be chewier. Applesauce and yogurt will make cookies cake-like and won't give you the texture you're looking for.